Fascinating to watch Kevin Rudd back in "7.30 Report Land" again. Like so many are now, I'm immune to his folksy fakery. So as Leigh Sales questioned him I was watching him much more critically than when he was PM previously.
Rudd always struck me as being a bit robotic; not quite human. But this quality seemed far more pronounced this time. I kept seeing him as a nerdy Terminator, sent back through time to destroy Australia's economy! All through his interview I kept imagining bits of his face falling off, revealing the gleaming metal machinery underneath.
Now that we know what he's been up to over the last three years, the quirky but gentle persona he's so keen to present doesn't just look silly. It's downright sinister.
And the bit where he brushed off talk of vengeance was astonishing:
LEIGH SALES: Is there another reason: revenge?
KEVIN RUDD: Oh, good grief, no. Sort of past all that a long time ago. If I was so sorta wounded by the events of 2010, I would've gone offer whimpering into the corner a long time ago. I'm a positive sort of bloke, get on with the business and had we been travelling in much better circumstances, then I'm sure none of these events would've happened.
So, he's employing the same tactic of outright denial that Gillard used after she knifed him. Except it's even more absurd than when she used it.
Fact is, he had heaps to do with Gillard's downfall. Spent much of his time plotting, leaking and poncing about in front of the cameras to damage her leadership. And on his third attempt he finally got rid of her! Then he turns around and with a straight face says he has no ill will towards her and had nothing to do with her ousting. Ha!
Clearly, in all that time he hasn't given much thought to how he was going to govern when he reclaimed the top job. The interview makes clear that he's policy light, and even though he dispatched Gillard, he's still totally dependent on her tactic of demonizing Abbott.
His attempt to characterize the conflict between them was truly desperate:
KEVIN RUDD: ... I think it's time you demonstrated to the country you had a bit of ticker on this. I mean, he's the boxing blue; I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library - come on, let's have the Australian people form a view about whether his policies actually have substance, whether they actually work or whether they're just slogans and I'm prepared on each of these things to take him on directly.
Labor luvvies and pollies are always trying to smear Abbott as a thug and are forever reminding us of his love of boxing. (Actually I'm surprised Rudd didn't use their favoured word "pugilist".)
The reality is that Abbott is a highly intelligent and articulate former journalist and Rhodes Scholar whose arguments against Labor have caused them endless grief. The thug label was tired long ago, and I think that most of the electorate sees through it now.
There was plenty more in that interview that revealed how desperate Rudd is. I think he's going to lurch from one improvised tactic to another from now on. While his reign won't be the rolling disaster that Gillard's was it's sure to result in him being much less popular come election time than he is now.
Rudd has a simple tactic. Talk in platitudes and when that doesn't work spruik bullsh*t
ReplyDeleteThat about nails him. I think he keeps doing it because the journos seem to buy it. But most of the people don't. (And those who do are wising up.)
DeleteCan't wait until he has to answer a question about the deaths HIS government are responsible for according to the Coroner in QLD. Side step those questions kev !!
ReplyDeleteOr the destruction of evidence relating to a rape in custody under his watch as Chief of Staff.
DeleteOr changing a functioning border protection policy, to something that has now lured over 1000 innocents to their death?
Kevie Mistake Two: Any person holding high office in this country does NOT refer to themselves in such depreciating terms. This was a silly and stupid appeal to under-aged voters in the school library. In Australia we expect our adult leaders to behave like civil statesman.
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is little Kevie, had time to plan for this 7:30 interview - it wasn't a door stop chat off the cuff. He really wanted US to hear this - stuff. Everyone's spin meter was flying off the chart.
Kevie Mistake One: Fear mongering about the Liberal's future policy for boat arrival from the north would cause conflict with Indonesia. He said this in the same breath about him having a cool hand at the tiller. It wasn't Rudd calmly holding the tiller this time either. A much worse mistake than No.2 above.
Fail. 2 of 2. - Three strikes and your out.
That self-description was very weird indeed. There's no way Howard, Hawke or Keating would have used such a silly analogy. But they were adults, of course.
DeleteKevni was a sociopathic little creep when he last sat in the PM's chair and he'll be the same sociopathic little creep this time despite the false bonhomie and rhetoric. The longer he puts off an election the more he will expose the Kevin 0'Lemmon he really is. I am so disappointed the election will not be on the Day of Atonement as I couldn't think of a more fitting day to rid ourselves of the sin of electing these creeps in the first place. Kol tuv.
ReplyDelete"I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library" - ah, yes; Kevin the thoughtful. Kevin the kid with the brains. Kevin the unrecognised genius. Who is one minute denigrating Tony Abbott and the next stealing ideas, because his own were so patently unsuccessful.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I don't want to scare the children, but...
Anthony Albanese is currently in charge here in The Great South Land.
Good old "Albo". He can always be relied on to speak sense - well probably not that but he can always seem so well meaning - well no not that either. Well I'm sure he can do something while Kevni is absent - so long as it has nothing to do with the well being of this country.
DeleteAlbanese at the helm is truly embarrassing. And the way he carried on about security protecting him at home was excruciating. Showed he was completely out of his depth.
DeleteOne almost wishes that his mother HAD allowed him to play with sharp pointed objects. At least back then he was only in danger of harming himself.
DeleteI think the media doesn't understand its responsibilities and hasn't for a long time. Most journos are nothing but hacks reciting their leader's cant. Relentless to demonize any Labor leader and push Abbott irrespective of his incompetent form as a past Minister and the fact the country is THE ENVY OF THE WESTERN WORLD under the current Government. Labor bashers ought to stop whining and listening to half-wit jocks who know less than they do (which is saying a lot when you read the inane comments) and take look out the window sometime. Abbott is your modern day Robbing Hood - "takes from the wretch and gives to the peer." His policy base is the best interests of his filthy rich masters (Gina and Murdoch for a start) and seeing the middle class pays for increases their tax dodging privileges. At least with Abbott the moaners will have something real to whinge about.
ReplyDeleteit seemed to me as if Rudd is still the Prime Beauracrat, and was just plain boring with all his talk about 7 point plans to boost the economy and productivity in this country. And furthermore I just wanted to add this - that aahhm, the real solution to understanding the problem of an economy which is incredibly strong but still needs interest rates at record low levels, blah balh blah, is that China is slowing down and our term of trade are plummeting, so in parallel with that I just need to add, blah blah blah, and we will engage with the trade unions and of course i might add, with aahhhm industry, and if only we could all work together and get me re-elected, blah blah blah, because as you know, i am the Prime Minister and Mr Abbott is not fit to hold the highest office in this land of Prime Minister, and I have the brain the size of a planet blah blah blah, and i am the only one who can most effectively use all this economic jargon, and i hope leigh that you dont ask any tricky questions about the implementation of this policy, in parallel with that, noone else is fit to occupy the office of Prime Minister, which is the office I have the privilege and humility to hold now. And with that, I've got to zip, blah blah blah
ReplyDelete